Category Manager - Direct to Store

£41,000 to £48,000 plus great benefits (Work Level 6A)

Location: Manchester/Scunthorpe (hybrid working - typically two to three days per week spent across our Manchester and Scunthorpe offices, with at least one day each week based in Scunthorpe)

Co-op Wholesale is growing, and we're looking for talented people who want to help shape what comes next.

As a Category Manager in our Trading team, you'll manage the pricing, terms, and promotions for our direct-to-store (DTS) category - a fast paced, hands on area of our business that gets products into stores more quickly. Working closely with our buying teams and DTS suppliers, you'll shape a market leading product range that bypasses our central warehouses, reduces handling, and helps our wholesale partners respond faster to demand.

We're building something big at Co op Wholesale. With a refreshed structure and exciting plans ahead, we're creating new opportunities to strengthen our proposition for our independent retailers, key accounts, and a growing corporate client base. To do that, we need product ranges that stand out, and reflect the biggest market trends and opportunities. That's where you come in.

This is your chance to help bring new ideas to life and make a real impact across Co op Wholesale. Be part of it.

• Manage our DTS product category and drive performance across channels
• Work with our Senior Category Manager to plan and deliver effective range, pricing, and promotional strategies
• Monitor DTS category performance and make sure we're hitting our targets
• Use data and market insights to identify trends, risks, and opportunities
• Collaborate with colleagues across supply chain, finance, and operations
• Build strong supplier relationships to deliver value for them and for Co op Wholesale

• Experience working as a Category Manager
• A track record of shaping and delivering effective trading strategies
• Great sales, negotiation, and supplier management skills
• Strong communication and collaboration skills
• The ability to turn data and insights into actions that drive performance

At Co op, we're owned by our members. And because we're owned by you, we can do right by you. So when you join us, you're not just taking a job, you're joining a movement. We're an organisation that puts people and communities first, and we're powered by purpose. We want this to be a place where you can thrive, so you'll also receive:

• An annual bonus (based on personal and business performance)
• 28 days holiday (rising to 32 with service) plus bank holidays
• A pension with up to 10% employer contributions
• 30% discount on Co op products and 10% off other brands
• Stream - early access to a percentage of your pay as you earn it
• Virtual healthcare including GP appointments, mental health support, nutrition and fitness advice
• 24/7 colleague support service
• Training and support for your development and career progression
• Cycle to work scheme

We're building diverse and inclusive teams that reflect the communities we serve.

We welcome applications from everyone and are committed to creating a workplace where colleagues can feel like they belong, supported by our inclusive policies and the ways we work.

We're proud to be part of the Disability Confident scheme and offer interviews to disabled candidates who meet the minimum criteria for a job. If you need any adjustments during the recruitment process, we'll support you.

Learn more about our recruitment process at jobs.coop.co.uk/apply-process and our inclusion commitments at jobs.coop.co.uk/diversity-inclusion